


tangerines and twenty questions

by pettynaley



Category: Lost
Genre: ABC Lost, Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 07:06:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10848942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pettynaley/pseuds/pettynaley
Summary: Shannon and Sayid spend an evening around the fire getting to know one another. Set between Translation and Do No Harm.





	tangerines and twenty questions

**Author's Note:**

> These two captured my heart from their first scene. They had so much potential. I wrote this so I could stop being sad, but now I'm even more sad. And bitter. Very bitter. Anyways, enjoy!

Dusk was settling upon craphole island, the sun disappearing due west. The sky was an orangeish pink and radiating a warm glow upon the sand. Campfires began to burn up and down the beach as everyone settled in for the night. Shannon sat by herself outside of her and Boone's tent, a blanket draped across her shoulders. She was waiting for his return, not so much because she particularly enjoyed his company, but because she was lonely; he was still off doing God knows what God knows where with Locke. Hunting boar? Yeah, right. She rolled her eyes as she thought about it. She wished Boone would just come out already. Jesus. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by the approaching figure of Sayid, who was carrying some fruit and wearing a timid smile. As he got closer, it became apparent how exceptionally hot he looked that day. His dark curls were stuck to the back of his neck and his arms looked like they could crush metal. The finest specimen of man she'd ever seen. Craphole island suddenly wasn't so terrible, at least for the moment, and Shannon's annoyance faded, or at the very least it was pushed to the farthest corner of her mind. She thought about quipping out some snide comment like she would with anyone else, but it was impossible to be rude towards Sayid, so she merely smiled. It felt almost strange. 

Sayid returned her greeting, settling in the sand beside her. She could feel the heat radiating off his body. "I hope you're hungry," He said, removing what she guessed was an army knife from his pocket and slicing the fruit into even pieces. Her chest felt warm, almost sticky sweet. It was nice to have someone look after her in this way. Sure, she had Boone, but everything he did was out of obligation. Then there were the other men of her past who'd she had to manipulate with sex and money into catering to her every whim, which granted wasn't difficult. Not with her body and certainly not with her family's money. Sayid was different. He took care of care not just because he liked her and wanted to, but because that's just who he was.

"Oh, golly gee, I wonder what's on the menu tonight, " Shannon mused sarcastically as if they didn't live solely on a fruit diet and she couldn't see what in his hands. Her intent wasn't malicious, but playful and she hoped he could see that. A wave of reassurance washed over her when he appeared amused, clearly not put off or offended. It was like he understood her humor. 

"I'll have you know, these tangerines are the best on the island. I am quite choosey when it comes to what I feed my dates." Sayid replied, almost chipper, which was the damndest thing. 

It was so weird seeing him like this, happy and carefree, when he was normally so focused and solemn. However, it was a good weird and she wouldn't trade it for a thing. At least not without heavy consideration depending on the offer. 

"This is a date now, is it?" She asked, teasingly. 

"Of course. I wouldn't dine with just anyone. Now eat." 

Shannon bit into the sweet fruit, wiping the juice from her face self consciously as she ate. Sayid intently watched her in comfortable silence. "Thank you, by the way, for the food. For everything. I know I'm a bit of a burden." She said, not looking for him to assure her of the contrary. It was a simple fact. 

"It's just fruit, Shannon, and I don't think you're a burden." Sayid replied simply, wiping his sticky hands on his pants. The conversation shifted and went off on a tangent. "What's your favorite food?" 

Shannon considered this, stretching her long and golden legs out in front of her. She smirked to her self when she caught Sayid fondly observing them. She quirked an eyebrow. "Real world food or stranded on a creepy island food?"

"Real world, of course." 

Shannon nodded, pursing her lips in thought. "I really love sushi, and anything with avocado-" 

"A true Californian," Sayid interrupted, teasing her. 

"Ha ha," Shannon replied in her usual haughty and sarcastic way, but she giggled. He was right. "But you didn't let me finish. I also really love French fries. What about you? What's your favorite?" 

Sayid answered immediately. "Though I am quite a fan of my mother and Grandmother's family recipes, pizza would be my favorite." 

Shannon tried to imagine Sayid, who was all muscle and business, chowing down on a greasy, but heavenly combination of dough and cheese. She nearly dissolved into giggles. "Alright, I have a serious question for you then. Pineapple on pizza. Yes or no?" She knew this was a serious debate among all pizza lovers. Personally, she thought it was genius. 

Sayid looked at her in horror, as if she had suddenly turned into a polar bear or something. "People put pineapple on pizza?" He demanded in surprise. "That is a crime. Fruit doesn't belong on pizza." He shook his head as if the image were too much for him to bear. 

"Hey, don't knock it til you try it." Shannon shrugged her shoulders, then straightened. She learned towards him, shamelessly flirting. Her eyes began to twinkle with mischief. "Alright. My turn to ask a question." 

"Very well, but I didn't realize that we were playing a game." 

"Yup. 20 questions. A classic. What's your favorite movie?" Shannon asked, wondering what his answer might possibly be. 

Sayid spent a little bit longer on this question. He seemed at loss for a response. "I haven't seen many movies. Very few stand out to me. What is yours?" He inquired, appearing to be enjoying their game.

"Easy-peasy. Mine is A Walk To Remember." Shannon replied, the first time she'd ever watched it flashing before her eyes. She'd cried for hours afterward. 

"What is it about?" 

"It's a love story. The bad boy falls in love with the preacher's daughter, you know how it goes. Turns out she's sick, like dying sick." 

"It sounds quite sad. I take it she dies?" 

Shannon nodded. "Yeah. I cried like a baby," She admitted, her cheeks burning. 

Sayid raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Shannon Rutherford is actually a softie?" 

She leveled her gaze at him, channeling her bitch diva attitude in an attempt to scare him into silence. "Tell anyone and I'll kill you."

"Somehow I believe you'll keep that promise. Alright, next question. Favorite color and why?" Sayid demanded. 

Shannon considered this a moment. "Lavender, because it reminds me of these flowers my Dad and I used to plant when I was little. Plus, it sounds so soft. Safe, like a blanket or something. Sorry, that was lame." She replied, looking back on her childhood wistfully. Her chest ached for her Dad, for home. 

Sayid shook his head adamantly. "No, it wasn't. It was honest." 

She changed the subject. "What about you?" 

"Blue. It's powerful, but not consuming. Ironically, you don't drown in it." 

He also happens to look very good in blue, Shannon thought, unable to help herself from checking him out. She snapped herself out of it, fearing she'd pounce on him soon if she didn't quit. "Okay, question four. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?" 

Sayid crossed his arms while he dug through old memories. Memories that were probably now tainted by sadness. "Let's see. I changed my mind quite often. Farmer, police man, lawyer...the list goes on. I just wanted to help people." 

She wasn't surprised one bit. "Not much has changed." 

"What did you want to be, Shannon?" 

She laughed, recalling her crazy plans. "I wanted to be a princess. And if that didn't work out, a ballerina, fashion designer and actress. All at the same time." 

Sayid chuckled. "You were quite ambitious." 

"Little girl dreams. You know how it goes. Life gets in the way and you grow up," Shannon mused, growing nostalgic for childhood when things seemed so simple with possibilities endless. 

"And then the adventure really begins." Sayid seemed to be carefully crafting his next question. "Do you consider yourself to be an optimist or a pessimist? As you Americans say, is the glass half full or half empty?" He asked, allowing their conversation to become deeper, more meaningful in the grand scheme of things. 

Shannon snorted. "Have you met me? Glass half empty, definitely." 

Sayid was unconvinced of this she judged by his facial expression. God, he looked so gorgeous in the firelight with his serious thinking face on. "Very well, right. I personally don't believe it to be that simple, so categorical." He mused, leaning back on his arms. 

Shannon cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean?" 

For a moment, he was consumed by his thoughts and forgot she was there. She could tell. He had crawled deep inside that powerful and intelligent head of his to give her an answer that was truthful and spiritual, but made sense. "Life is too complicated to be broken down into black and white, wrong and right, or in this case, full and empty. There are too many variables and there is also neutrality. It can't be that predictable or basic. One moment you can be one thing, another the next. What do you think?" He addressed her suddenly, catching Shannon off guard. 

She blinked several times. Did he just ask her, her opinion on something like this? No man ever did that. Hell, nobody did that with her. Usually, she was expected to sit quietly while the smart people debated and discussed anything worth doing so. After all, she was just a dumb and helpless little rich girl. What did she know about the world? 

"Well, I....." She stammered, scrambling to come up with answer that was reasonably intelligent and as thoughtful as his was. She didn't want to prove she was as dumb as everyone thought. "I see what you're saying. Different situations bring out different reactions. Take us right now. Someone who is usually all happy go lucky and annoyingly positive could suddenly become the Grim reaper with rain on their parade or something. Those categories aren't distinct. They can't be. Lines get blurred and there are shades of gray." 

If Sayid was surprised by her answer, he didn't show it, not that showing emotion was a thing of his. But Shannon was. She didn't know where the hell that had come from, but there it was. Apparently, she had the potential to be thoughtful and aware and deep somewhere inside her. Who knew? Maybe she wasn't as dumb as everyone, including herself, believed her to be. Wow. 

"Change your answer?" Sayid asked, smiling at her. 

Shannon tucked some stray blonde hairs behind her ear. "Yeah, I guess so." They were both quiet a moment, listening to the fire crackle and the waves beat agaisnt the shore. It was serene and perfect. "Sayid, you know, no one has ever talked to me like that before." 

"Like what?" He answered, confused. 

"Like I'm not stupid." Her throat felt like it was swelling. God, this island made her emotional. 

Sayid looked at her so tenderly in that moment that Shannon could hardly hold back the dam that was building behind her eyes. "You're a smart woman, Shannon. You deserve to be treated as such." He said, now caressing her face, holding onto her cheek as if it was the most fragile and wonderful thing he'd ever touched. This was his thing. It was their thing. 

Shannon held his eyes, her heart lighter than it had been in recent years. "Sayid, is it my turn?" 

He nodded. "Indeed." 

Shannon's lips curled up into a smile. "Will you kiss me?" 

He closed the space between them, his lips sweet and rough and gentle all at the same time. Her hands ran through his curls as his clutched her face, making her feel secure and light. Shannon smiled against his mouth, wondering if she'd ever been this happy. Maybe craphole island wasn't so bad.


End file.
